There will be many conflicting opinions about this subject. Do you actually want to pass 1st time or are you happy taking the view “The DSA has a fixed quota and it’s better at the start of the week” ?
1. Sort out your own medical and theory test. (If you go to your own doctor you have not researched it properly you will probably not pass 1st time)
2. Take a minimum of 2 assessment drives. (miss this out then the company you book with knows you dont care how good/bad they are)
3. Go with a training company that has a trainer you think you can get on with. Maybe the most expensive in UK maybe the cheapest. If you dont get on with your trainer and have faith in his words You will NOT pass 1st time
4. Convince yourself you do not have a clue how to pass. Because you dont. Why pay someone if you already know.
5. Once your on the course NEVER focus on the test result. You are wasting valuable time when you could be checking your mirrors.
6. If it takes 100% to pass, only 40% is about the driving ability the rest is about your belief in you. Very few people understand the 60%.
wise words sir!
i went with a local guy, ex driver of many years, not the fanciest looking trucks, when i first rang about lessons i asked about an assesment to wich he replied “why waste your money, you want to come and learn to drive dont you” but having learnt around roads used on the test, i will always remember the nicknames he gave some of the roads…it helped me remember what i needed to look out for in particular areas like bus stop road!..wasnt expecting the [zb] in the car to nearly crash into me and make me panick first time round though!! 
cant wait for the cash to do c+e
I also believe there is a small amount of luck required. What about that idiot that is indicating left on the roundabout and carries on round across your path and slams the anchors on as you pull out.
You have affected his progress and therefore fail !
On the whole, I think John has hit it on the head. But I would like to offer a couple of alternatives:
- Some trainers will offer a medical/theory test service thus saving you the hassle of sorting it out yourself. It may cost no more than DIY.
- Alternatively, book on strong recommendation and the trainer knows he’s got a lot to live up to.
- If it’s possible to visit, then as OP.
- Agreed
- Agreed. The purpose of good training is you teach you how to drive a truck. The law says that you have to demonstrate your new-found skills to an examiner at some point.
- I would increase the driving ability percentage - but I agree with the principle.
Good luck all. Pete 
I would also say that the driving test is at least in part an assessment of your attitude as well as your driving, a kind of interview. Examiners are only human and much of what happens on the test is open to subjective viewing.
I did enough wrong on my driving test to fail, and would have had no complaints if I had, but I was clean, presentable, polite and personable, and I think my examiner overlooked my mistakes- which included knocking over the pole during the reversing manoeuvre, supposedly an automatic fail- because I came across as at least half-sensible.